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The Formation of the Mahayana School
Today is the twentieth day of the retreat; there are still seventy days left to fully dwell in the practice. The retreat requires that “both feet are inside, not one foot in and one foot out,” in order to realize collective happiness. Observing nature gives us vivid lessons about the spirit of community and communication—bees, ants, termites, and the brain all operate as harmonious communities, without a master, relying only on the Dharma and the Vinaya. The energy of diligence (virya)—one of the five important sources of energy—not only protects the individual but also protects the whole. These five sources of energy are:
- Faith
- Diligence
- Mindfulness
- Concentration
- Insight
Buddhism has gone through three main periods:
• 350 – 100 BC (Early Theravada)
• 100 BC – 300 AD (Sectarian Theravada)
• From 100 BC – 300 AD (Origin of Mahayana)
Among these, King Ashoka spread the Dharma throughout India by erecting stone pillars inscribed with Brahmi script. Mahayana expanded the ideal from Arhat to Bodhisattva with the path of the Three Vehicles (Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva), developing the “Bodhi mind” and the six Paramitas:
- Generosity
- Precepts
- Patience
- Diligence
- Meditation
- Wisdom
The key doctrines of Mahayana include the Three Bodies of the Buddha (the physical body, the Dharma body, the reward body), the theory of emptiness (śūnyatā), the store consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna), and skillful means, aiming to combine great wisdom and great compassion to liberate all beings.
